|
|
Ray D’Alonzo, Ph.D., is Manager of Doctoral Recruiting & University
Relations and a former Associate Director of Research and Development at
Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals where he has worked for 30 years. He has
led research programs in bone metabolism, infectious disease, respiratory
disease, arthritis, and nutrition and has published scientific papers on a
wide variety of topics from the chemical composition of fats and oils to the
pharmacoeconomics of osteoporosis. Dr. D’Alonzo is the recipient of the
Chancellor’s Medal from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, in part,
for his contributions to the development of new pharmaceutical agents. As
both a patient and scientist, he has made a personal effort to increase the
awareness of Chiari in the health care sector and to assist others afflicted
with the syndrome. He has published the story of his personal struggle with
Chiari in a book,
Contents Under Pressure, with 100% of royalties going towards Chiari
education, awareness, and research programs.
March 31, 2007
Dealing with the pain and symptoms of Chiari is a challenge for most
patients. Adding to this challenge is the frustration of dealing with
friends, relatives, and caretakers who tell Chiari sufferers that they look
okay or appear to look fine. Such remarks often come across as dismissing
the patient’s complaints, or worse, implying that the patient is lying or a
hypochondriac. Chiari patients react to this by feeling alone or isolated
which increases the energy needed to seek proper medical attention and
treatment.
While it may seem like a stretch at first, there is actually a lesson to be learned from the American Revolution and how
America’s founding fathers reacted to adversity1. Let’s examine
that period of time more closely. That the Americans were successful in the
Revolution is not really a surprise. The British had larger forces but the
Americans had many other important factors on their side. First, the
Americans believed that they were fighting for a just cause. They were the
most literate society in the world at that time and they were very religious
and convinced that God was on their side. Second, Americans only needed to
survive to win whereas the British needed to have a clear victory, like Iraq
today but with the roles reversed. Third, Americans were more prosperous.
They had more munitions per man than the British and their hired mercenary
German troops. British and German soldiers were amazed at how affluent
Americans were. In fact, a quarter of the German troops remained in America
after the revolution. Fourth, because Americans were hunters and
outdoorsmen, they were superior marksmen. They would concentrate their
firepower on smaller portions of the enemy for deadly effect. Fifth,
Americans were entrepreneurs who lived under the banner of liberty. They had
governed themselves for 6 generations. They realized that they would
encounter war from time to time to protect their liberty and families but
wanted to get it over with quickly and get back to life. The Europeans under
the old feudal system were forced into service for life and saw it as an
honor and duty. As a result, the Americans were more motivated. They could
march faster than the enemy. They would march through the night or through
snow storms as they did when they crossed the Delaware River to fight at
Trenton and Princeton in December of 1776. Lastly, Washington’s style as a
leader rather than a commander had advantages in collecting a wider range of
ideas and developing superior strategy.
Indeed, young America was very different from old Europe in its ideas of
liberty, freedom and war making. But, the experience of the war itself
forced the leaders of our young nation to examine their own behavior in a
very profound manner. The British and Germans under the old feudal system
believed it was their option to refuse quarters to surrendering opponents.
It was their individual decision to let them live or die. If they felt they
were more resistant than they should have been they were more likely to
murder them while their superiors looked on with approval despite Admiral
Howe’s orders otherwise. American soldiers who attempted to surrender in the
field were rarely allowed to. More often than not, they were murdered
brutally in horrific ways. The British also believed that the spoils went to
the victors and that rape and plundering was justified, resulting in towns
being looted and burned.
The Americans were outraged after the battle of New York at this behavior.
It made them more resolved. More importantly, and perhaps the surprise is
that they saw the injustice and decided to behave differently. They believed
that the lives of all men must be valued and all were entitled to Liberty
particularly the Germans who were not there by their choosing. As a result,
the Americans decided to offer quarters to British and German prisoners and
provide them food, clothing and shelter. Washington was insistent on this
and for the most part his order was carried out with some exceptions in the
southern campaign.
The Americans behaved differently because unlike their British and German
counterparts they were finding their true purpose. Finding our purpose in
life is extremely important. Finding purpose results in a totally different
outlook on life. Too often, we confuse the quest for pleasure as the path to
happiness. We get caught up in desiring more money, possessions, and status.
Seeking pleasure does not result in happiness. It does the opposite. It
enslaves us. We end up placing ourselves in our own prisons because there is
always more to want and possess. Finding our true purpose in life frees us
from self imprisonment and allows us to find happiness. Patients who are
suffering from clinical depression are often told by their psychiatrists to
volunteer their services to a worthy cause. This is often an effective
complementary treatment for depression. Through such an effort, the
clinically depressed patient finds purpose and, in turn, happiness, which
helps lift the depression. By finding purpose, we learn the meaning of
happiness and then see the world differently. We begin to see that many of
our past goals and behaviors as quite superficial.
I frequently hear from other Chiari patients that their friends and
relatives are insensitive. Friends and relatives say, “…but you look just
fine.” They do not understand this. They find it frustrating. They sometimes
let it get to them and retreat from finding help or fight back to sometimes
result in divorce and/or shattering their family. Illness, like any
adversity, is an opportunity to self-reflect. In doing so, we can emerge
with a new sense of purpose and priorities. To Chiari patients, I say as
difficult as it may be, use your illness as an opportunity to find your
purpose particularly during the months while you are recovering from
decompression surgery. By doing so, you will find happiness and free
yourself of your frustrations. You will see the world differently and the
apparent insensitive comments of others will no longer frustrate you or
impede you. You will never change the behavior and comments of others but
you can change your outlook and the key to doing this is to find happiness
by pursuing purpose not pleasure2. Like the American troops who participated
in one of the most adverse events in history at the crossing of the Delaware
River and the subsequent battle at Trenton, know your purpose and you will
free yourself of the insensitivities of others.
-- Ray D'Alonzo
1Washington’s Crossing (Pivotal Moments in American History) by David
Hackett Fischer, Oxford University Press.
2Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, Washington Square Press.
** If you
would like to share your comments, thoughts, or ideas with Ray,
please send them to dalonzo.rp@fuse.net.
Due to the volume and nature of email received, individual responses are not
possible. **
[Ed. Note: The opinions expressed above are solely those of the
author. They do not represent the opinions of the editor, publisher,
or this publication. Mr. D'Alonzo is not a medical doctor and does not
give medical advice. Anyone with a medical problem is strongly
encouraged to seek professional medical care.]
Return To Table Of Contents
|